The simple present is used:
- to express habits, general truths, repeated actions or unchanging situations, emotions and wishes:
I smoke (habit); I work in Boston (unchanging situation); Boston is a large city (general truth)
- to give instructions or directions:
You walk for two hundred yards, then you turn left.
- to express fixed arrangements, present or future:
Your exam starts at 9:00 a.m.
- to express future time, after some conjunctions: after, when, before, as soon as, until:
He'll give it to you when you come next Saturday.
I smoke (habit); I work in Boston (unchanging situation); Boston is a large city (general truth)
You walk for two hundred yards, then you turn left.
Your exam starts at 9:00 a.m.
He'll give it to you when you come next Saturday.
- For habits
He drinks coffee at breakfast.
She only eats chicken.
They read books regularly. - For repeated actions or events
We catch the train every morning.
It rains every afternoon in the hot season.
They drive to Vermont every summer. - For general truths
Water freezes at zero degrees.
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
Her mother is Peruvian. - For instructions or directions
Open the packet and pour the contents into hot water.
You take the No.6 bus to Watney and then the No.10 to Bedford. - For fixed arrangements
His mother arrives tomorrow.
Our holiday starts on the 26th March - With future constructions
She'll see you before she leaves.
We'll give it to her when she arrives.
Present Continuous
It is used to express a continued or ongoing action at present time. It expresses an action which is in progress at the time of speaking. For example, a person says, “I am watching a baseball game”. It means that he is in the process of watching a baseball game right now. Such actions which are happening at time of speaking are expressed by present continuous tense. Present Continuous tense is also called Present progressive tense.
Positive Sentence
• Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb-ing (Present participle) + object
• Subject + am/is/are + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing) + object
If the subject is “I” then auxiliary verb “am” is used after subject in sentence.
If the subject is “He, She, It, singular or proper name” then auxiliary verb “is” is used after subject in sentence.
If subject is “You, They or plural” then auxiliary verb “are” is used after subject in sentence.
The participle “ing” is added to the 1st form of verb i.e. going (go) writing (write)
Examples
I am playing soccer.
He is riding a bike.
They are washing the dishes.
Negative Sentence
• Subject + auxiliary verb + not + main verb-ing (Present participle) + object
• Subject + am/is/are + not + (1st form of verb + ing) + object
Rules for using auxiliary verbs (am or is or are) after subject in negative sentences are same as mentioned above.
Examples.
I am not playing soccer.
He is not riding a bike.
They are not washing the dishes.
It is used to express a continued or ongoing action at present time. It expresses an action which is in progress at the time of speaking. For example, a person says, “I am watching a baseball game”. It means that he is in the process of watching a baseball game right now. Such actions which are happening at time of speaking are expressed by present continuous tense. Present Continuous tense is also called Present progressive tense.
Positive Sentence
• Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb-ing (Present participle) + object
• Subject + am/is/are + (1st form of verb or base verb + ing) + object
If the subject is “I” then auxiliary verb “am” is used after subject in sentence.
If the subject is “He, She, It, singular or proper name” then auxiliary verb “is” is used after subject in sentence.
If subject is “You, They or plural” then auxiliary verb “are” is used after subject in sentence.
The participle “ing” is added to the 1st form of verb i.e. going (go) writing (write)
Examples
I am playing soccer.
He is riding a bike.
They are washing the dishes.
Negative Sentence
• Subject + auxiliary verb + not + main verb-ing (Present participle) + object
• Subject + am/is/are + not + (1st form of verb + ing) + object
Rules for using auxiliary verbs (am or is or are) after subject in negative sentences are same as mentioned above.
Examples.
I am not playing soccer.
He is not riding a bike.
They are not washing the dishes.